The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary » Wednesday’s Rumblehttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com
An Ohio State blog for the Buckeye fan in all of us.Tue, 03 Mar 2015 18:26:05 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1Wednesday Night Rumble: Eyes Onhttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-eyes-on.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-eyes-on
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-eyes-on.html#commentsWed, 02 Jan 2013 22:42:07 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=293892013 is here, I hope everyone rang in the New Year safe and sound but still had a lot of fun! With a new year brings the opportunity to look forward to what we are expecting and would like to see at this time next year. Let’s rumble! No drop off on the d-line For […]

]]>2013 is here, I hope everyone rang in the New Year safe and sound but still had a lot of fun! With a new year brings the opportunity to look forward to what we are expecting and would like to see at this time next year. Let’s rumble!

Next Man Up

No drop off on the d-line

For the first time in who knows how long, Ohio State will go into the upcoming football season replacing all four starters on its defensive front line. Gone are Jonathan Hankins, John Simon, Nathan Williams and Garret Goebel. The guys taking their place have big shoes to fill as Hankins may potentially be a top ten pick in the NFL draft, Williams and Simon were deadly on the ends (most notably when on the field together) while Goebel came into his own in 2011 and really blossomed in 2012 as a solid run stuffer. Goebel and Simon were named captains at the end of fall practice.

Fortunately, the Buckeyes appear to be loaded. We watched true freshman Tommy Schutt, Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence see significant snaps, some in critical junctures of big games. Junior Joel Hale was solid when called on. Another junior, Michael Bennett, has the potential to be the next “big time” defensive lineman at Ohio State. More troops are on the way as incoming freshman Tracy Sprinkle, Joey Bosa and Michael Hill are being looked at to perform as well as the Schutt-Spence-Washington trio did in 2012 or better.

There’s also the enigma that is J.T. Moore. He has the size and speed to be a steady hand in the rotation but has yet to show an ability to stay on the field when opportunities arise. Along with Moore, what will become of Chris Carter? Carter has the size to shut down run lanes in the manner that Hankins did in his career, but does he have the desire?

When spring practice opens up, the Silver Bullets are going to be under the magnifying glass, perhaps no position more so than the linebackers.

Nobody questions that midway through his sophomore season Ryan Shazier became what we all thought he would be during his freshman campaign. He is the leader of the defense, a solid tackler and emerging playmaker.

Etienne Sabino has graduated and (fortunately) Storm Klein is out of eligibility and is graduating too. It leaves the question: Who’s the next man up?

We’ll see Curtis Grant (a former number one overall in the country linebacker recruit by many of the nerds who track these things) get another shot to prove he was worth the hype. It doesn’t leave us with much optimism seeing that he couldn’t crack into the rotation last year even when Sabino was out with injury. We never want to write a player off, especially one with his size, speed and potential, but if Grant sees significant time on the field or somehow cracks into the starting lineup, it will feel almost like a bonus.

Sophomores Joshua Perry, David Perkins and Cam Williams will get looks, but past them there isn’t anything to write home about so much so that there is literally almost no depth behind them. No offense to Craig Fada, Connor Crowell or Joe Burger, I’m just being realistic. It is why Urban Meyer has his eyes firmly set on undecided recruits Mike Mitchell and Trey Johnson. They both project to be factors immediately should they decide to make Columbus their home for the next four years.

Accuracy and decision making

I’m looking forward to seeing the progress that Braxton Miller makes in his second season in Meyer’s offense. Miller is a highlight waiting to happen on nearly every snap, but Wisconsin may have come up with the solution: Find players, such as Dezmen Southward, that can contain Miller one-on-one in the open field (no easy task but something they accomplished in Madison last year) and force his receivers to win the subsequent one-on-one’s thus making Miller beat you with his arm and not his legs.

There Is No Off Season

Another major negative to come from the Wisconsin game was that they proved when forced to make a decision, sometimes Braxton Miller can hesitate just enough to get himself into trouble. This is where another year of being in Meyer’s offense will help. Instead of making decisions, we should see Miller simply react in 2013.

Don’t underestimate the positive effects of the work Miller put in out in San Diego with quarterback guru George Whitfield. The client list alone for Whitfield is enough to make you understand that the guy knows what he is doing. The guy who put his stamp on names like Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, Johnny Manziel, Landry Jones, E.J. Manuel and Tajh Boyd spent some quality time with number 5 for the Ohio State Buckeyes? Yes, please.

Quick hitters

We discussed the defensive line, well how about the offensive line? Losing one senior (Reid Fragel) on what turned out to be a pretty solid front five means the 2013 offensive line should be dominant. I’m guessing Braxton Miller sleeps well.

Ben Buchanan is graduating. Who punts in 2013?

At the time of the writing, we still have no word on if Bradley Roby or Carlos Hyde are NFL-bound or coming back to Ohio State. Selfishly I’d like to see them both back, but I can understand and see the reasons why both may go. Hyde will be in a crowded backfield with Rod Smith, Bri’ontee Dunn and Warren Ball. The Buckeyes also get Jordan Hall back (medical redshirt approved) and incoming freshman Ezekial Elliot seems like an all-world type talent that is going to push for reps as well. Roby is being discussed amongst the top 5-10 corners to be picked, which means a lot of money should he declare for the NFL.

The new court at the Schottenstein Center is beautiful! I love the throwback to the old St. John says with the state of Ohio in the center. The Big Ten logo shadowed in the paint is also a nice change to having it emblazoned on the floor and sticking out like a sore thumb.

I’m still not sold on the “The Big Ten is to basketball what the SEC is to football” for a couple of reasons: 1. Unless they win the tournament in April, it can be as good as it wants but it won’t matter. 2. I don’t believe the SEC is what everyone else thinks it is in football. You can bet there will be more on this in upcoming weeks.

Metallica track of the week

We kickoff 2013 and our first MTOTW of the new year with a classic: Creeping Death from the Orion Music and More festival in June of 2012 at Atlantic City’s Bader Field!

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-eyes-on.html/feed1Wednesday Night Rumble: Best and Worst of 2012http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-best-and-worst-of-2012.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-best-and-worst-of-2012
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-best-and-worst-of-2012.html#commentsWed, 26 Dec 2012 23:25:48 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=29117I hope everyone had a great Christmas and survived it safely! Did you get what you wanted? I decided since this is the last week of 2012, why not do a “best of and worst of” to recap all the things that caught our eye or made us angry this past year. Let’s rumble! The […]

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and survived it safely! Did you get what you wanted? I decided since this is the last week of 2012, why not do a “best of and worst of” to recap all the things that caught our eye or made us angry this past year. Let’s rumble!

The Gator Bowl- The year started out with the Buckeyes in the Gator Bowl taking on the Florida Gators. The outcome and subsequent bowl ban clearly make this one of our “worst of” for the year. The catch to it that makes me crazy is listening to everyone now talk about it like they knew that the bowl ban was coming. From Gordon Gee to Gene Smith and down the line to all of us, everyone thought they would be getting probation and reduced scholarships for “Tattoo-gate”. The revisionists out there like to destroy Smith for not taking a self-imposed one year ban. There are plenty of reasons to not like Gene Smith, the bowl ban isn’t one of them.

Beating Syracuse- Everyone knows Jim Boeheim is a cranky old fart. One of the “best of” moments of 2012 was watching the Buckeyes take apart his Syracuse Orangemen to earn a berth in the Final Four. Watching him grimace and complain, knowing he was outmatched and on his way out of the tournament was a beautiful sight!

Circle Drill- A clear cut “best of” was prior to the spring game when Urban Meyer called the team to the middle of the field and performed one-on-one “nutcracker” drills. We all had heard Urban Meyer speak and we knew his history. At that time, our last image of the Buckeye football program was a beaten team in disarray at the Gator Bowl. The realization that Urban Meyer was actually the Buckeyes head coach, physically seeing him with our own eyes on the field instructing the football team, gave us a renewed hope. Seeing them smash each other, hooting and hollering, cheering each other on, embracing “Urban’s way”, let us know that our boys were going to fight in 2012 once fall came rolling around. Quite a moment!

Gangnnumamun what? I still don’t know what “Gangnam Style” is and have not heard the song or seen whatever it’s supposed to look like or any of it. That is a “best of” for 2012: My ability to avoid a pop culture nuisance.

Orion Music and More- Those of you who read my ramblings before I joined the Buckeye Battle Cry remember my first and only non-sports blog when I documented the weekend that was Orion Music and More back in June. To say it was the best weekend of my life is an understatement and the recent announcement that there will be an Orion in 2013 makes me giddy like a kid on Christmas Eve. With Saturday and Sunday night headlining outdoor performances by Metallica and a ton more (a custom car show, Metallica museum, Kirk Hammett’s horror movie collection on display, comedians, alt rock bands, metal bands, country bands, a surfing and skating demo, an independent movie viewing tent hosted by Lars Ulrich, music and memorabilia vendors from all over the country and more…) I strongly recommend my rock and metal readers to look into taking the trip to Detroit (yuck, I know, but it is what it is) this coming June. You won’t be sorry!

Welcome Home!

Wow did you see that?! Is there any disputing Devin Smith’s one handed 23 yard touchdown grab in the season opener against Miami was the catch of the year? Just incredible!

Comment of the year “Let’s beat the sh*t out of Michigan!” Urban Meyer at Earl Bruce’s annual Friday morning before The Game pep rally

Swish! Who would have thought the Cleveland Indians would make the “best of” list for 2012? Narrowly beating the end of the year cutoff they shocked us all when they signed former Buckeye and Columbus native Nick Swisher to a four year contract to be the team’s new right fielder and power hitter. Word is that on Swisher’s visit to Jacobs Field (I do NOT say Pr*gr*ss*ve Field) a certain former head coach of the Buckeyes named Jim Tressel just happened to show up at lunch and a scoreboard greeting from current head coaches Urban Meyer and Thad Matta encouraged “Swish” to come home and sign with the team that resides in Ohio. Guess it worked!

Brown out- After giving us hope by putting together a three game winning streak, one of the years “worst of” was the Cleveland Browns performance against the Washington Redskins two weeks ago and this past Sunday’s beat down in Denver by the Broncos. So close to making the “best of” list for surprising everyone and proving they’re a real team, the Browns break my heart and join the “worst of” list, again, for 2012.

Grumpy Cat- If you’re not following @ExtraGrumpyCat on Twitter, seriously check it out. Definitely a “best of” Twitter follow for 2012.

Best movie I saw in 2012- Call me a dork, but that’s easy: The Dark Knight Rises.

Second best movie I saw in 2012- I didn’t know much about the Iran hostage crisis other than what was in text books in school. The movie Argo was outstanding in explaining both sides and the tension involved. If you haven’t, do yourself a favor and see it! One word to describe Argo: Intense!

Third best movie I saw in 2012- The police drama End of Watch was gritty and outstanding. You felt like you knew all the characters, or they were at least people you’ve seen or met at one time or another. Just a really, really good cop movie that felt really real. Lots of real on that one…

Worst movie of 2012- Some remakes are good, some are bad and some should have just been left alone. Red Dawn, a classic from my childhood, should have been left alone.

Funniest movie of 2012- While I loved Project X and Ted, my funniest pick for 2012 is a sort of remake that actually got it right: 21 Jump Street. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, who would have thought they’d make such a classic comedy pairing?!

Favorite Buckeye on field moment- It’s a tough choice to make. I loved Ryan Shazier jarring the ball from Montee Ball at the goal line in Madison. Shazier also gets a nod for his interception for a touchdown at Penn State to really silence the “white out” and start pounding the nails in PSU’s coffin. There are all of the spectacular plays that “XBrax360” Braxton Miller made and Carlos Hyde’s heroics throughout the year. But the one moment I’ll remember forever was Zack Boren’s crushing sack on Devin Gardner and subsequent fist pump in his face in The Game. It always makes me smile and takes my “best of” for on field moment. The stadium absolutely erupted when they saw that a hole opened up and Boren was blitzing through it unscathed. The “ooh” sound following by raucous cheers and venomous outbursts are what this rivalry is all about. After Denard Robinson’s “eat” gestures in 2011, it felt good!

Favorite Buckeye non-sports moment- When The Game was all said and done, the final score had been written and the players were on their way home to celebrate, another group of Buckeyes got together in Hilliard, Ohio to celebrate 12-0 and a successful 2012: The staff of the Buckeye Battle Cry. The best decision I made in 2012 was joining the group and being a part of the hardest working Buckeye blog site on the web. So to Tim, Wva, Eric, Janelle, Gary, Jeff and Mali: Thanks for allowing me to be a part of the site! It’s been a lot of fun and 2013 looks to be even better!

Metallica track of the week- Our MTOTW is also the 2012 Metallica performance of the year. In 2012, Metallica decided to celebrate their self-titled 1991 release affectionately known as “The Black Album” by performing it in its entirety at some of the festivals they headlined this past summer. This would mark the first ever live performances of “The Struggle Within”, “Don’t Tread on Me” and one that the fans have long clamored for, “My Friend of Misery”. While they all came off well live, Misery became a crowd favorite. After watching this performance you’ll see why. We go to Lisbon, Portugal’s “Rock in Rio” festival for a haunting and harmonizing performance of the year: Here is “My Friend of Misery”!

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-best-and-worst-of-2012.html/feed1Wednesday Night Rumble: Football Season Reviewhttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-football-season-review.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-football-season-review
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-football-season-review.html#commentsWed, 19 Dec 2012 21:41:45 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=28892Everything is sort of quiet around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, the holidays are almost here. Since hindsight is 20/20, let’s look back on 2012. Who’s ready to rumble? The 2012 story didn’t begin on January 1, 2012. Of course, so much had already happened up to that point that I would be remiss without […]

Everything is sort of quiet around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, the holidays are almost here. Since hindsight is 20/20, let’s look back on 2012. Who’s ready to rumble?

The 2012 story didn’t begin on January 1, 2012. Of course, so much had already happened up to that point that I would be remiss without first going back to November 29, 2011 when the hiring of Urban Meyer as the next head coach at Ohio State became official. With that, we also have to think back to December 22nd of 2011, the day the sanctions prohibiting the Buckeyes from playing in a bowl game after the 2012 season, reducing scholarships and prohibiting Ohio State from competing in the Big Ten Championship game was announced.

“Gator don’t play…”

2012 started out with a trip to something called the Tax Slayer dot com Gator Bowl where the Buckeyes squared off with? Of course it had to be Urban Meyer’s old team, the Florida Gators. In a game that was quite honestly hard to watch, the Buckeyes fell 24-17. Unfortunately it was a game that didn’t feel like it was winnable in the end despite the mere seven point deficit. The good news from that day was that on the next day, January 2nd the Gators former boss officially took the wheel driving the Buckeye football program.

Anticipation and predictions

We waited all spring and through a long dry summer to finally see what Urban Meyer’s offense with Braxton Miller at quarterback would look like once it actually came to fruition on the field. Preseason speculation saw the Buckeyes picked to win anywhere from 7-10 games. With the Big Ten being in another of its string of down years, it wasn’t too farfetched to think the Buckeyes could be 10-2 or even 9-3. I think the consensus among people closest to the program were that road games at Michigan State and Wisconsin seemed like stumbling blocks for a young team. I think most thought Nebraska at Ohio Stadium would be a toss-up considering all that Nebraska had returning from 2011. Naturally, we all know anything can happen in The Game.

The first quarter against Miami…

Remember the panic and loss of composure from people at the end of the first quarter in the season opener with Miami of Ohio? It’s funny looking back on it now, but being down 3-0 to the Red Hawks in one of the most anticipated season openers in who knows how long was a bit shocking to say the least. When Devin Smith went up and pulled in Braxton Miller’s pass for a 23 yard touchdown and made the catch of the year, it was almost like gridiron foreshadowing of what the entire 2012 season would be like: Things may look rough, there will be times when it’s going to be tough, sometimes you’re going to wonder what is happening… but you will be absolutely wowed in the end.

The Buckeyes went on to cruise to a 56-10 win and 2012 was underway.

Sparty, No!

After what shouldn’t have been a close call against California and a completely uninspired performance at home against Alabama-Birmingham, the Buckeyes finally took the show on the road and opened up Big Ten play in East Lansing against Michigan State. Remember Sparty then, coming in at 3-1 with their only loss to emerging Notre Dame, fighting out a tough opening night win at home against Boise State? The Spartans were still the class of the league and expected to make some serious noise nationally. How would the Silver Bullet defense hold up against Le’Veon Bell? How would this young team fair in their first test on the road in a hostile environment?

The Buckeyes showed true grit and character when they held on to win 17-16 in a game most thought they would be physically overmatched. The defensive question about containing Bell was answered by holding him to 45 rushing yards on the day. The Buckeyes took a big step forward that afternoon. How far, though, only time would tell.

They’re for real

The 63 points the Buckeyes put up on Nebraska the following week in a prime time showdown at Ohio Stadium showed the nation that the Buckeye offense under Urban Meyer was going to be a force to be reckoned with. The defense did an admirable job of containing Big Ten coaches selection for first team quarterback in the Big Ten (yes, that still bothers me) Taylor Martinez on the night and stuffing the Nebraska run. All that stood in the way of a mega-showdown with Penn State was Indiana and Purdue.

Who knew those two games would turn out to be bigger nail-biters than the game with the Nits in Beaver Stadium? Remember being up 45-27 in the fourth in Bloomington against Indiana, then really feeling it was a done deal up 52-34 with a little over 6 minutes to play? Remember when Braxton went down in a horrific scene against Purdue only to have “Smooth Jazz” Kenny Guiton come in and heroically lead the Buckeyes to an overtime stunner against the Boilermakers?

We remember how infuriating it was that those games were undecided late, let alone one of them requiring overtime. We can look back now with a cooler head and realize that those games built character and were necessary experiences to complete the 12-0 season. We would later on see the effects of those two games work in the Buckeyes favor at Wisconsin when overtime was needed after failing to protect a 14 point lead. Everything seems to happen for a reason when something like an undefeated season or even a really great one or two loss conference championship season occurs. We always look back and think: That ended up actually helping them.

Nits and Badgers and Illini, oh my!

The Buckeyes came out sharp and aggressive at Penn State on October 27th. By mid third quarter the “white out” had been drowned out by the sound of the Buckeyes scoring points and the Nittany Lions turning the ball over and punting. As Cleveland Cavalier color commentator Austin Carr likes to say during Cavaliers games “pressure will burst the pipe” along with it goes the saying “pressure will turn Matt McGloin back into, well, Matt McGloin”.

A massacre the following week in Ohio Stadium, routing Illinois 52-22, set up a post bye-week showdown in Madison against Bert Bielema (when he still allegedly wanted to be nothing like the SEC) and his Badgers. An epic fourth quarter turned in to the Buckeyes steamrolling the Badgers in overtime for a 21-14 win and an eleventh straight win in the 2012 campaign.

The lesson’s learned in Bloomington, Indiana and against Purdue about being tough, staying together and believing in each other were being called upon to keep the undefeated dream alive. Perhaps without those lessons the Buckeye may not have handled the adversity in Camp Randall Stadium with the poise that they displayed.

I know I’ll never forget, and I’m sure you won’t either, Ryan Shazier going up high to knock the ball out of Montee Ball’s arms preserving the tie and sending the game to overtime. In a season full of big plays and highlight moments, that may be the season saving highlight of the year.

The Game

It’s been almost a month and I still can’t stop thinking about just how sweet it was to finish the 2012 season with everything on the line at home against TTUN. It’s a shame that the score didn’t truly indicate the beating that the Buckeyes gave the Wolverines that cold afternoon. The win was satisfying in so many ways: Sending the seniors who decided not to transfer and stick it out at Ohio State despite the sanctions with a win in the last game of their Ohio State careers, in The Shoe and against Michigan. A reckoning for the actions that took place in Ann Arbor in 2011. Finishing a season perfect. And always the most important goal: Beating Michigan.

The 2012 season was special. We’ll always remember what it was and wonder what it could have been. In time, especially on January 7th during the National Championship game, we’ll debate how the Buckeyes would have fared against the Fighting Irish or the crimson Tide. But for now, we just have to take it for what it is: Perfect.

Quick hitters

I know everyone is busy with Christmas shopping, parties and the like, but if you get in front of a television Saturday the Buckeye basketball team is hosting the Kansas Jayhawks on CBS at 4:00pm EST. Kansas was able to beat Ohio State in December last year in Lawrence, KS when the Buckeyes were without the services of Jared Sullinger. They held a rematch in the Final Four and the Jayhawks overcame a double digit Buckeye lead at halftime to beat them once again. I don’t think I need to tell you that Aaron Craft and his boys are looking for some “get back” on Saturday. The Buckeyes come into the game ranked 7th in the nation, Kansas in the 9 spot. This should be a good one!

I had the pleasure of meeting Zach Boren, John Simon, Jake Stoneburner and Ben Buchanan at an autograph signing this past Saturday at Everything Buckeyes in the Eastwood Mall in Niles. As expected, the guys were very talkative, clowning with young kids and making the experience great for everyone that went. I was proud to see the enormous crowd Saturday, with ticket sales numbering well over 225. If you get a chance to go see the any of the senior groups that are traveling now or will be in January and February I strongly urge you to go. It supports the guys in preparations for the NFL combine, shows them how much we care and appreciate their efforts and you can get a pretty nice souvenir in the process. If autographs aren’t your thing, take your son, niece or nephew. They’ll love it!

Wrap it up

I hope everyone is enjoying the bowl previews we’ve been doing here at The BBC. We put our own special touch on them to make even the boring games have something worth watching for or have some relevance to Ohio State. Next week’s rumble will be on December 26th, so I want to wish all of you a very merry Christmas! Until next week, Go Bucks!

Metallica track of the week

The final two weeks of the year (this week and next week) I am selecting for the track of the week my top two live performances of 2012. This week, the runner up: From Orion Music and More on June 24th in Atlantic City, New Jersey, here is a crushing performance of Shortest Straw!

On Saturday the Heisman trophy was awarded to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Why did people outside the SEC region vote for Manziel? Yes, he accumulated 4600 total yards on the season. Sure, he won at Alabama. So, let me get this straight: The requirements to be the “most outstanding player in college football” is to have the most yards and beat an SEC “super power”? Being a leader no longer matters. Neither does keeping your nose clean off the field. Leading a team with the hardest schedule in college football to an undefeated season and spearheading a defense that allows ten (10!) touchdowns for an entire season doesn’t matter either apparently.

I should be ecstatic. Apparently having the name Notre Dame attached to yours no longer guarantees trophy’s the way it has in the past. We all remember when Troy Smith won the Heisman in 2006 and being worried that Brady Quinn might edge him out simply because of the name Notre Dame. After Saturday’s Heisman vote, that is clearly a thing of the past. Unfortunately, it’s been replaced by another stigma or fallacy, and that is simply being associated with the mighty SEC. Why do I say that? Let’s be honest: If Manziel plays for Texas A&M of the Big 12 and has his “Heisman moment” Thanksgiving night against the Texas Longhorns, I don’t care how many yards Manziel accumulated, Manti Te’o would be the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner. But because Manziel plays in the SEC and beat Alabama, well, that’s Herculean and should obviously be rewarded.

If you don’t believe me, look at the voting. The southern region of the country ie SEC-land voted overwhelmingly for Manziel. Not really that surprising. The shocker was the amount of folks in the Midwest and East that voted for Manziel. Some surely voted for “Johnny Football” because they dislike the Irish, while others I can guarantee voted for him “because he did what he did in the SEC”. And that’s rubbish.

Manziel was not “the most outstanding player in college football” in 2012, stats be damned. The Heisman has always been an accumulation of stats, team achievement, off the field success, highlight moments and their personal story. With the exception of stats, Manti Te’o trumps “Johnny Football” in every category. But he didn’t win it. He lost to the stigma of the SEC.

How far is this going to go and when is it going to end?
Chris Childers of Sirius XM College Sports channel 91 posted on his twitter account Monday night that he had officially submitted his ballot for coach of the year. His top three finalists: 1. Brian Kelly at Notre Dame, 2. Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M and 3. Penn State’s Bill O’Brien. I have no problem if you think Kelly deserves it since his team is 12-0 and in the national championship… but Kevin Sumlin at number two ahead of Bill O’Brien, Urban Meyer and even Bill Snyder at Kansas State? I asked him point blank “Meyer going 12-0 isn’t more impressive than Kevin Sumlin?” to which he replied, simply “it was impressive indeed”.

Truth

So you’re now telling me that simply playing in the SEC and succeeding is more impressive than Bill O’Brien leading Penn State through everything he inherited from deserters to rumors to sanctions to conspiracy theorists polluting the newspapers and airwaves in State College to simply having a team that on paper really isn’t that good and taking them to an 8-4 record? It’s more impressive than Urban Meyer taking over a 6-7 Ohio State team that was in shambles after 2011 and going 12-0? It’s more impressive than Bill Snyder bringing Kansas State seemingly out of nowhere to a number one ranking at one point in the season, an 11-1 finish and a BCS birth?

Let me ask you this, Chris: Is it possible that maybe the SEC, short of the top 2-3 teams, is just as average as any other league in the country? I mean, your runner-up to coach of the year selection led a Big 12 middle of the pack squad with a freshman quarterback, took on the big boys and walked out standing tall and with some “impressive” wins under their belt, no? But it’s not possible? Won’t even entertain that thought? I didn’t think so.

So when and, maybe more importantly, how does this narrative change? It’s simple: Win. Beat them. Until that happens, it will only get worse. We need (gulp) Michigan to show up and beat South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. We need to see Northwestern beat Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl. Somehow, some way Nebraska needs to rally itself and beat Georgia in the Capitol One Bowl. What if Louisville can knock off Florida in the Orange Bowl or Clemson beat LSU in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl? The big one would be seeing Notre Dame beat Alabama for all the chips in Miami. Then the conversation begins to change.

I can’t recall a time in my life, regardless of the situation or opponent, that I have declared that I am pulling for and hoping to see Notre Dame and Michigan win football games. Never. That may change for the benefit of the greater good on 1/1 and 1/7.

Then I think about the greater good of college football falling on the shoulders of Notre Dame and Michigan and can’t help but think “we’re screwed.”

It seems like good timing for the Munger verbal, as Ohio State received some not so good news for its 2013 defensive line when junior Jonathan Hankins announced he is forgoing his senior season and entering the National Football League draft. Hankins is easily the most NFL ready of the underclassman and in some circles his announcement seemed almost like a forgone conclusion. Several draft experts expect “Big Hank” to be one of the first defensive linemen off the board as a first round pick. I echo the sentiments of most when I say that I wish Hankins nothing but the best of luck and thank him for his time at Ohio State.

Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye. Good luck Big Hank!

Hoops on hoops on hoops

At press time for this write up, the Buckeyes are about to or are doing battle with Savannah State at the Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes come in to the game with a 6-1 record and ranked 7th in the country. While the road isn’t difficult for the next three games, staring them down is a matchup with 9th ranked Kansas at The Schott on Saturday, December 22nd (4:00pm tip time). After the Kansas game there is one more cupcake in Chicago State before Big Ten play starts on January 2nd at home against Nebraska.

What Santa Wanted For Christmas

Quick Hitters

I’ll be at Everything Buckeyes in the Eastwood Mall on Saturday for the autograph signing with Jake Stoneburner, John Simon, Zack Boren and Ben Buchanon. If you’re going to be there, send me a tweet and let me know so I can say hello!

Big Hank’s departure means the Buckeyes will be replacing all four starters from 2012 on the defensive line. We’ve all discussed how deep the Silver Bullet d-line is and in 2013 we’ll find out if we were correct in that assumption. Michael Bennett, Tommy Schutt, Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington, Joel Hale, JT Moore: Hey boys, next man up!

When Pennsylvania decided to pull the plug on the Big 33 game it left the Ohio football all-stars with nobody to beat up. Rumors are swirling that a proposed yearly matchup with all-stars from, you guessed it, Michigan may be on deck and a reality as soon as 2013. Let’s hope so!

The other big rumor coming out of the annual The Ohio High School Football Coaches Association year end wrap up meeting: Spring football in the state of Ohio. I don’t know how it would be done or the parameters for it, details etc, but what an impact it would have on the quality of play here in the state of Ohio. Already known for being a hotbed for college recruits, imagine if Ohio coaches had another 3-4 weeks in the spring to work with their teams and hone the skills of the state’s finest athletes in an actual practice setting? Sounds good to me!

Wrap it up:

I hope to see some of you at Everything Buckeyes on Saturday. Support our guys and make sure and say hello! Until next week, Go Bucks!

Metallica track of the week

One year ago this week, Metallica concluded their week long set of four shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco to celebrate their 30 year anniversary. What an incredible week it was! The shows were packed with Met Club (Metallica’s fan club) members only and they not only came from around the country but all over the world to be a part of this historic event. Yes, yours truly made it too.

The shows were more of a party than a typical Metallica concert. Each night started with trivia contests and a short comedy set by master of ceremonies Jim Breuer (Goat Boy still to some!) followed by an opening set from a band that Metallica once opened for before they were signed and began their rise to utter world domination. In between the opener and the trivia contests and Jim Breuer they ran a video of some of the world’s greatest rock musicians and bands giving their congratulations to the Metallica boys, including Jimmy Page, U2, Rush, Aerosmith and many others. In the midst of all this, the members of Metallica were openly walking through the crowd and making appearances on the stage, really giving you a feeling that you were at their party, not just another Metallica show. Once the festivities had ended, Metallica came on the stage and belted out classics, new material and even some tracks that hadn’t seen the light of day for years if not ever. Then the guest segment of each night began and Metallica brought out one after another pertinent participants in their long history to perform a song or two with them. Now, these were no normal guests, unless you consider the likes of Dave Mustain, Ozzy Osborne, Rob Halford, Jason Newsted, Jerry Cantrell, King Diamond and many others as “normal”. In all, each night saw anywhere from 6-8 special guests and zero were repeated on any night.

Guess what the tickets for this event cost? $6.00! Same as ticket prices were in 1981 when the boys played their first show. And you wonder why I love these guys so much… who else gives their fans so much and does things like this for their fans?

Our track of the week is not so much a track as it is a moment of spontaneity by Metallica’s newest member (he’s been in the band for 10 years now) bass player Robert Trujillo. During the show on night one, the band Apocalyptica (their first ever album was a Metallica cover album) was brought out as a guest to do a few songs with Metallica, however there were some issues in getting their cello’s mic’d up and a delay was occurring. Seizing the moment to pay tribute to the guys who asked him to join the band and to give the ultimate tribute to the great Cliff Burton, Trujillo knelt down and belted out Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) completely out of the blue and to the surprise of all, including the people on the stage with him.

So, after a long introduction, here is out track of the week: Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/thursday-night-rumble-anesthesia.html/feed0Wednesday Night Rumble: Shocking!http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-shocking.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-shocking
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-shocking.html#commentsWed, 05 Dec 2012 22:12:53 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=28535I’m still basking in the glow of 12-0. And more importantly, I continue to cherish the win over Michigan and think about it every day. I didn’t realize how much the 2011 game impacted me until this week. To see them lose to TTUN after everything that happened to them in 2011, while playing maybe […]

]]>I’m still basking in the glow of 12-0. And more importantly, I continue to cherish the win over Michigan and think about it every day. I didn’t realize how much the 2011 game impacted me until this week. To see them lose to TTUN after everything that happened to them in 2011, while playing maybe their best game of the season, was truly heartbreaking. But that memory can be suppressed, the undefeated Buckeyes have made it so. It’s Wednesday, let’s get ready to rumble!

Braxton and the Heisman

By default?

I was absolutely shocked when the Heisman trophy finalists were announced on Monday evening and Braxton Miller wasn’t amongst them. I realize he had “average” games against Wisconsin and Michigan to close the season, but his team did finish 12-0 and he put up some pretty gaudy numbers in leading them to that mark. I didn’t in any way expect him to win it, but in a year with no clear favorite how does the highlight reel quarterback of the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes get left off the invite list?

Without further ado: The finalists are Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o, Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein and Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. I know what you want to know now: Who should win it and who would I vote for?

If you’re looking for consistency then it has to be Klein or Te’o. If it’s the “story” that you’re looking for, it would have to be Te’o or “Johnny Football” Manziel. If it’s the guy who meant the most to his team, it’s Te’o spearheading one of the nation’s best defenses through a tough schedule and leading it to Miami and the national championship game. If it’s the statistically best player in college football, Klein has thrown for 2500 yards and ran for 900 more while Manziel has accounted for 4600 total yards on the season.

Who would I vote for? If Collin Klein’s team had finished undefeated, he would likely have been my pic. However they didn’t, so he’s out. I’m not giving the Heisman Trophy to someone simply based on what conference they play in. So while “Johnny Football” has ridiculous numbers and a win at Alabama, he can win it next year if he does it again. That’s provided he can hold off Braxton Miller and the run he will get just from having the Ohio State name and exposure attached to him. So that leaves Manti Te’o of the three finalists, and yes, he’d get my vote. I realize he doesn’t lead the nation in statistics, but if he were not on the Notre Dame defense, would they be in Miami challenging for the crystal football? I think absolutely not. He’s not only the best player on the number one team in the country; he is their heart and soul.

The Heisman used to be about awarding the best player in college football, regardless or conference, stats, position etc. A vote for Te’o is a throwback and I’d be “all in” for it. I’d have absolutely no problem checking the box to give the Heisman Trophy to Manti Te’o.

Celebration

If you’re on campus, I strongly encourage you to try and make it to St. John Arena for the celebration on Friday night for the undefeated Buckeye football team. These types of seasons don’t happen every year and whether a bowl game is on the docket or not this team deserves to be celebrated. And you all deserve to celebrate the accomplishment with them! The official website for the Buckeyes says that all entry vouchers have been dispersed, but if I were a student on campus I’d still head over that way just in case. For those of us not on campus, the event will be streamed live at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com

B1G Bowling

Almost the instant they were announced, everyone began complaining about the bowls and the matchups in them. The BCS continues to be a joke, but at least we only have to deal with it for one more season. Let’s take a look at the Big Ten pairings and some instant rational thoughts:

By absolutely demolishing the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Big Ten championship game, the Wisconsin Badgers are headed to the Rose Bowl for a third consecutive year. However, in a truly shocking event, head coach Bert Bielema will not be with them as he has accepted the head coaching job at Arkansas. Despite being 1-5 vs Ohio State, losing every BCS game he’s been invited to, losing to Rich Rodriguez when he was at Michigan, the Arkansas folk believe Bert is the guy to lead them back to prosperity. Do they know he cried about Urban Meyer’s style of recruiting here in the north? This one is a true head scratcher all around.

Owen. Owen Two

So what of the Badgers and their chances in Pasadena? This year they face the PAC 12 champion Stanford Cardinal. Yes, these are the same Badgers the Buckeyes beat at Camp Randall and the very same Badgers that lost in Happy Valley the following week to Penn State. We all know the Badgers snuck into the title game by virtue of Ohio State and Penn State being ineligible to participate. That said, Bert and his guys took advantage of the situation and looked like a top ten machine in rolling the Huskers. Stanford has been very good this year, losing in overtime at Notre Dame and winning in Eugene against the once considered unstoppable Oregon Ducks. Maybe the Badgers play inspired with the loss of their coach and looking to impress the new boss? Maybe Barry Alvarez leads the troops for a “one night only” gig in the Rose Bowl. Regardless, if the Wisconsin that was in the title game shows up, they may shock some people.

Our smelly friends to the north have been summoned to Tampa for the Outback Bowl and a date with the South Carolina Gamecocks. I like how everyone instantly proclaimed Michigan will get trounced in this game. Why? What has South Carolina showed you that, given a month to prepare, the Wolverines couldn’t counter? I’ll give you Jadaveon Clowney (if you don’t know that name, look it up!) But by and large, once again the SEC stigma alone is controlling public opinion. Brady Hoke got a much less talented team prepared for Virginia Tech and won last season’s Sugar Bowl. Why can’t they be ready for SC?

The Gator Bowl will see Northwestern take on Mississippi State and Nebraska takes on Georgia in the Capital One Bowl in the other two SEC-Big Ten matchups. While I like Northwestern over Mississippi State, I have to worry about Nebraska taking on Georgia. While the Dogs are susceptible to huge amounts of yardage on the ground, Nebraska couldn’t stop Wisconsin from doing anything and everything they wanted the last time we saw them. I think the Huskers need to hope for a shootout, that way at least their offense is clicking giving them some semblance of a chance.

Other Big Ten teams going bowling include Minnesota in the Meineke Care Care against Texas Tech, Michigan State takes on Texas Christian in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl and Purdue takes on Oklahoma State in something called the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Those are all winnable games for the Big Ten teams. But as always, all eyes will be firmly planted on the Big Ten’s matchups with the Southeastern Conference.

Quick hitters

Basketball season is in full-go and the Buckeyes dropped a tough one at Cameron Indoor Stadium to the Duke Blue Devils last week. Despite the loss, it’s hard not to like what we saw from the Buckeyes that night. Let’s be honest: Cameron Indoor Stadium is a tough place for anyone to win. Some of the best teams yearly go there and get blown out. I’m not one for moral victories, but the Buckeyes let us know that they can play with anyone in the country. There is going to be a fun season in store for us on the hardwood.

Your CotY?

Urban Meyer is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award presented by the Football Writers Association of America. I get the feeling that much like the Big Ten Coach of the Year Award, this one will go to Bill O’Brien of Penn State as well. It’s hard to not be impressed with what O’Brien accomplished in the face of everything that happened at Penn State. Meyer, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, Florida Gator head coach Will Muschamp, Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin, all the finalists are certainly worthy. However, none of them had to face what O’Brien dealt with daily in Happy Valley: Matt McGloin as his best option at quarterback.

If you have the means, go out and see our senior Buckeyes on their “mall” tours and get some stuff autographed. While you’re there, let them know how much you appreciate them staying through the adversity of 2011 and persevering to accomplish what they did in 2012. I know currently Zack Boren, Jake Stoneburner, John Simon and Ben Buchanan are traveling the state together. Call your local mall or Ohio State sports store and tell them you want to meet the Buckeyes! I’ve gone to plenty of these and the guys are extremely friendly and appreciative. If you don’t collect autographs, so what, I’m sure there is a kid you know or are related to who would be ecstatic with it. Bottom line: I know it’s the holidays and times in general are tough, but if you’ve got the means or want to get a Buckeye fan a great gift, get out there and support our guys!

Wrap it up

I still can’t believe this season is over and that they finished 12-0. Time flies when you’re having fun has never been more prophetic. See you next week, until then, Go Bucks!

Metallica track of the week

On Monday, December 10th a new live dvd/bluray is being released from the two stops in Quebec on the World Magnetic tour in 2009. They are being released on the newly announced Blackened Recordings. Nearly unprecedented amongst today’s artists, Metallica now has complete control over all their master recordings both audio and video. The Quebec concert dvd is the very first release on their own through the previously mentioned Blackened Recordings. This is huge! They gave us a sample of the upcoming dvd, the CLASSIC “Master of Puppets” so why not make it our track of the week!

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-shocking.html/feed0Wednesday Night Rumble: The Reckoninghttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-the-reckoning.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-the-reckoning
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-the-reckoning.html#commentsWed, 21 Nov 2012 23:30:47 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=28171Staying undefeated in November is a tough task. Just ask the Ohio State Buckeyes, who needed overtime to take care of business in Madison, Wisconsin against the Badgers on Saturday. Credit the Badgers for fighting to the end. Credit the Buckeyes for overcoming adversity and making plays to keep the dream alive. Bert and the […]

]]>Staying undefeated in November is a tough task. Just ask the Ohio State Buckeyes, who needed overtime to take care of business in Madison, Wisconsin against the Badgers on Saturday. Credit the Badgers for fighting to the end. Credit the Buckeyes for overcoming adversity and making plays to keep the dream alive.

Bert and the boys

It really seemed early on that the Buckeyes were going to run away with the game against Bert Bielema and his Wisconsin Badger boys. When Cory Brown’s punt return for a touchdown put the Buckeyes up 7 followed by a machine-like high tempo drive early in the second quarter that resulted in a Carlos Hyde touchdown giving the Bucks a 14 point lead, the Camp Randall crowd seemed uninterested and it looked like the good guys were going to have their way. We certainly didn’t see the dramatic ending that put this game in line with the recent history of classic endings in Wisconsin-Ohio State games on the horizon.

Both teams showed great perseverance and battled through the highs and lows of the game. For the Badgers it was facing a 14 point hole. For the Buckeyes, it was a stalling second half offense that couldn’t get things going. For the first time this season, Braxton Miller was contained.

Bielema and his staff devised a great scheme that slowed up Miller: Set the edge and force him to show his hand early on as to where he was going along with spying him with a corner and a safety. It is similar to what we saw Stanford due to Oregon later that night. They are daring the quarterback to stay in the pocket and beat them with his arm. They are also running the risk their spy’s can make a tackle one-on-one with one of the most elusive players in college football. The Badgers I’m sure are aware he hasn’t earned the name “XBrax360” because he lacks shake and spin. Bert’s gamble paid off and Wisconsin held Miller to his lowest yardage totals of the season and kept the Buckeye offense stammering to the end result of (even with overtime) a mere 21 points.

Fortunately in the overtime he offense got on track. Better late than never, I guess. Carlos Hyde’s seemingly easy touchdown gave the Buckeyes the coveted overtime edge of 7 points and put it on the shoulders of their defense. Four plays later, the Buckeyes were 11-0.

Last week we spotlighted the Wisconsin-Ohio State rivalry and how it was blossoming into a true “second tier” rivalry for the Buckeyes. Saturday’s game added to the burgeoning legacy. It was definitely one for the ages.

Ryan to the rescue

Shazier's Edge

As is becoming the norm, Ryan Shazier was everywhere making plays on the Badger offense. He was once again named Big Ten Defensive Player Of The Week on Monday for his efforts. No play was bigger than his stuff of Badger running back Montee Ball on fourth and goal at the end of regulation. Shazier said he knew Ball was going airborne from watching game film on him. When Ball left the ground, seeing Shazier’s number 10 flash in and meet him midair, popping the ball out into the surprised but waiting hands of Christian Bryant, was like seeing something in a movie.

We’ve all been watching Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o and some even feel he should be getting serious Heisman consideration. For the record, I can be counted in the category of people who feel he’s a Heisman candidate and maybe even the leader. But that was until the other evening when someone said to me “You realize Shazier beats Te’o in every statistical category expect interceptions, right?” And I was shocked! But it is in fact true. Shazier leads him intackles (110/98) huge in tackles for loss (14.5/5.5) sacks (4/1.5) forced fumbles (3/0) and even pass break ups (11/4).

I’m not saying Shazier is a Heisman candidate, but I’ve definitely soured on my opinion of Te’o. But is that fair? Te’o is a monster and anyone who’s watched the Irish defense knows he is the heart and soul of it. Maybe realizing that Ryan Shazier is having perhaps the most underrated season of anyone in the country is what I should be focused on in light of the new information provided. We’ve got a pretty good one here for the next two years at the real “Linebacker U”. (stats provided by both universities official websites)

Quick hitters

Guapo

I’m like you, I don’t understand why they weren’t running Carlos Hyde early and often against Wisconsin. He was gashing them through the line of scrimmage and was dragging defenders on his way down. Clearly the Badgers were selling out to stop Braxton Miller. Why the lack of confidence in a guy who has proven all season he can and wants to carry the mail?

Cory “Philly” Brown is getting scary good. Urban Meyer made light of his touchdown catch and run against Nebraska saying it was only “what he is supposed to do.” Brown got the message and has been electric ever since. Expect him to be a big part of the game plan against TTUN.

John Simon appears bound and determined to make a lasting impression on Buckeye Nation in his final appearances in the scarlet and grey. Simon got to Wisconsin’s quarterback four times Saturday and appears to be hitting his stride right in time for you know who. Simon has had a great career at Ohio State and we’re all going to miss him. Athletes with a work ethic like his, an attitude like his and the desire that he has doesn’t come around very often. I think we’ll see one last shining moment from 54 on Saturday.

The offensive line play this season has been outstanding. They’ll need to be for one more week if the perfect season is to remain. We can look at this later on, but I have to ask again: How badly was Jim Bollman hurting the Buckeye offense in recent years?

Being thankful

After the Buckeyes won Saturday, twitter was flooded with comments about Gene Smith, Terrelle Pryor, Jim Tressel and rehashing the bowl ban and sanctions. With their team sitting at 11-0 and watching the SEC have no undefeated teams followed up by the Oregon Ducks and Kansas State Wildcats both losing, Buckeye fans were livid about the “what could be” possibilities. And while I agree it would be nice to see the Buckeyes in the BCS rankings, playing in Indianapolis for the Big Ten title and staring down Notre Dame for a shot at the national championship, it just isn’t a reality this season and we all know why.

My point is this: This is Hate Week. The Buckeyes are 11-0. The seniors who stayed despite the bowl ban are playing in their last game as Buckeyes. Don’t let all this be glossed over or somehow tarnished by people’s actions and judgments that are at this point out of anyone’s control and cannot and will not be changed.

There will be plenty of time over the holidays and the bowl season to complain about Gene, Jim and Terrelle. But right now, this week, right in front of your face, is an achievement and a rivalry that deserve your undivided attention and devotion.

Speaking of that rivalry…

The Reckoning

You said to the ABC sideline reporter “We gonna eat today” during warm-up for last years matchup. You taunted us by simulating that you were spooning food from a bowl into your mouth every time you scored. Your team finally stopped a streak that was a statewide (nationwide?) embarrassment for your program. And you, Denard Robinson, did it with little to no class. Well guess what? Now the bill has come due and it is time for The Reckoning.

I said last year that I wouldn’t allow and refused to allow any of you to forget the way Robinson acted that afternoon. That I’d do everything I could to keep the terrible taste in your mouth and make you seething for his arrival. Well, it is here. The Reckoning is upon us.

Last season was a nightmare: Impending sanctions were looming, we battled with and supported a lame duck interim head coach, players were suspended and then some suspensions extended. On top of it all, we were kicked while we were down by a team that we hate so dearly. This hurt perhaps most of all. Rise up my friends, The Reckoning is here.

While it has stayed off the lips of the players and coaches, all efforts to this point in the season have been directly aimed at this one singular moment. Everything has led to this one opportunity to right the biggest wrong of 2011.

Saturday at noon in Ohio Stadium, in front of 105,000+ with millions more watching on television, The Reckoning is due. On this day we will celebrate our senior’s commitment to the university we all love. We revel in and cherish the final act of an undefeated season. Most importantly, we will put our rivals back in their place and restore order to our world.

There is nothing like this rivalry. There is nothing like The Game.

Wrap it up

Even Bo Schembechler himself would have grabbed Robinson by the facemask and put an end to his antics. Celebrate and be happy of your accomplishment, but win with class. I can’t wait for Saturday, but in the interim: Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! And until next week, Go Bucks!

Metallica track of the week

One game remains to perfection, one chance at payback from last season’s biggest fault. There’s only one dot on the “i” in Script Ohio and one Tunnel of Pride to show our seniors appreciation. Everything comes down to one. See where I’m going here… Let’s go back to Orion Music and More in Atlantic City this past June for the incomparable One!

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-the-reckoning.html/feed3Wednesday Night Rumble: Down Goes Creed!http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-down-goes-creed.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-down-goes-creed
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-down-goes-creed.html#commentsWed, 14 Nov 2012 23:00:45 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=27979A bye week can make for a lazy Saturday. Maybe you finish up some yard work before the weather really changes for the worst or maybe one last trip to do your favorite outdoor activities. For me, fun during a bye week is seeing the defending national champion aka the unbeatable aka the mighty aka […]

]]>A bye week can make for a lazy Saturday. Maybe you finish up some yard work before the weather really changes for the worst or maybe one last trip to do your favorite outdoor activities. For me, fun during a bye week is seeing the defending national champion aka the unbeatable aka the mighty aka the lock for the national championship game again from the otherworldly Southeastern Conference fall (at home!) to a mediocre Big 12 team with a freshman quarterback. I also enjoy thinking about the inevitable whipping that the Buckeyes are going to put on Wisconsin and the ensuing painful look on Bert Bielema’s face.

Rivalry

Maybe nobody has actually said it but it has been pretty apparent that Wisconsin has become the secondary rival to our Ohio State Buckeyes. The Badgers fill the “next level” rival spot for Ohio State that Penn State wishes it could be. The players this week have been pointing to the 2010 game (when the Buckeyes were ambushed at Camp Randall and a perfect season was ruined) as the spark that ignited the rivalry, but I think it goes back a lot farther than that. Let’s go back in time…

Brooks Bollinger

Classy.

In the 1999 meeting of the Bucks and Badgers, the Buckeyes delighted the home crowd to a mid-second quarter 17-0 lead. Things seemed to be in cruise control and a blowout eminent, especially with freshman quarterback Brooks Bollinger filling in for injured senior Scott Kavanaugh for Wisconsin. The outcome? 42-17… Badgers.

The Buckeyes got revenge a year later in 2000 winning 23-7 in Madison. It should be noted: This game was played with the lingering stigma of Wisconsin finally returning to full strength after having 26 players suspended for obtaining illegal benefits from a local shoe store earlier that summer. In other words, Wisconsin felt due to the suspension their season was a bust.

In 2001 back in The Shoe, the Buckeyes once again went up 17-0. They would again not hold the lead and lost 20-17 to another Brooks Bollinger lead Badger team.

This made tensions high heading into the 2002 meeting at Camp Randall. As we all remember, the Buckeyes were undefeated and in the midst of making a magical championship run. The Badgers were beginning to be a real thorn in the Buckeyes sides. Would they play the role so many Michigan teams played in the 90’s and spoil the championship dream?

A little added fuel to the fire to help a blossoming rivalry also helped inspire and drive the Buckeyes to remain undefeated. The accelerant came in the form of an autographed picture Brooks Bollinger had given to a friend that was likely never meant to see the light of day. He signed the photo “The Horeshoe. They built it. WE OWN IT.” The Buckeyes won 19-14 and went on to win the national championship.

Robert Reynolds and 2003

The Buckeyes brought a 19 game winning streak and the title of defending national champions into Madison for 2003’s meeting with the Badgers. Aside from being the night that the streak ended along with the dreams of a second title run (the Buckeyes lost 17-10) the game was marred by Robert Reynolds repulsive choke of Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi in the bottom of a pile during the third quarter. I remember thinking how we almost didn’t deserve to win after seeing the replay of Reynolds grab Sorgi’s throat repeatedly the way only an ESPN broadcast can accommodate. Admittedly, a few weeks ago I made a joke in this column about Sorgi playing up the injury for all it was worth and over dramatizing it. I stand by my memories and observations from that night. It still doesn’t change the fact that it was a despicable act by Reynolds. To his credit, Reynolds quickly apologized both publicly and privately to Sorgi.

04 to 12

Who's The Bald Dude?

In the games that were played between 2004 and 2009, the Buckeyes took a 3-1 advantage after losing in 04 and then winning three straight over the Badgers from 07-09, including Terelle’s “stepping into manhood” as a freshman in 08. Things had seemed to calm down between the two when the 2010 game happened and reignited the war we find ourselves smack in the middle of heading into this week’s matchup.

Who can forget last year’s dramatic win in Ohio Stadium with Braxton Miller hitting Devin Smith on a prayer bomb pass with 20 seconds left. My favorite part that night was watching Bielma cry as he walked off the field, realizing his already fleeting national championship hopes had been completely crushed by a team ravaged by suspension and scandal, with an interim head coach and a true freshman at quarterback.

Bert Beilema and Urban Meyer

This winter, after Urban Meyer was named head coach at Ohio State, the recruiting drive to national signing day was intense. So intense, that Badger head coach Bert Beilema accused Meyer of using “illegal” recruiting tactics.

As the story goes, Kyle Dodson (from Cleveland, Ohio) was verbally committed to Wisconsin. While a verbal commitment isn’t a binding contract in any way, it has always meant that a recruit was essentially off the market. One except: Urban Meyer (and to be fair, a lot of other coaches) doesn’t recruit that way. He will contact recruits that he wants in his program all the way up until national signing day or until they ask him to stop. Dodson made no such request and Meyer stayed after him. When the time came for Dodson to actually put pen to paper and put his name on the dotted line, he chose Ohio State reneging on his verbal commitment to Wisconsin. This angered Bert and he lashed out at Meyer in the media.

Both parties have said publicly that the situation has been cleared up between them. But do you think Urban Meyer has forgotten? If this game goes how I think it will go, we’ll find out if Urban is holding any type of ill feelings toward Bielema. My hunch is that he doesn’t like Beilema very much.

The fans

Still Awesome

I’m willing to bet that if you conducted a poll of Ohio State fans, Wisconsin would win handedly as the “secondary rival” choice. And it isn’t just football that has the fans engaged in hating the Badgers. Remember Badger basketball head coach Bo Ryan and his “deal with it” comments? Ask Buckeye fans how they feel about Wisconsin’s end of the third quarter “Jump Around” tradition. Ask anyone who’s been to Camp Randall if it’s true that Badger fans bring marshmallows with penny’s stuck in them and then the entire concoction is frozen. It’s obviously not on a TTUN level, but the venom for the Badgers is there. We’ll all feel it Saturday afternoon when players hit the field!

So, what’s going to happen?

I really think this game has the same formula as the Michigan State game: Shut down or limit the running of Montee Ball and James White and make the quarterback beat you with his arm. Also like in East Lansing, the biggest key to accomplishing that goal will be to get physical up front and move the line scrimmage on every snap. The flow of the linebackers and their point of attack in the holes will be huge. Fundamental tackling will be, as always, of major importance. Bring Ball and White down, no big gainers after first contact.

I’m going to put this out there: I think Wisconsin’s defense is slow and the Buckeye offense can exploit it. I expect big numbers from Braxton Miller and his gang.

To this point, the Buckeyes have been faced with two daunting road tests. The game at Michigan State was said to be at the time the best defense and running game they would see all season and a team favored to go back to the Big Ten championship game. The game at Penn State was said to test their gall and camaraderie, facing a team with nothing to lose in a stadium notorious for being an intolerable pit to opposing teams when the student section puts its mind to it. Both tasks were met head on and both games saw the Buckeyes victorious. I have no reason to believe Saturday in Madison will be any different.

The big question to me: Does Urban Meyer have the disdain I believe he has for Bielema and how will it manifest? Obviously he isn’t go to ignore the post-game handshake or start some physical altercation. But if the Buckeyes are up comfortably in the fourth quarter, does he let it get out of hand?

Myth busting

This past Saturday in Tuscaloosa we saw the most shocking defeat since Ivan Drago knocked out Apollo Creed in front of James Brown in Las Vegas.

Texas A&M, long a midlevel Big 12 program trying to find a way to get back to its glory days of the early 20’s and retain mediocrity throughout the new millennium, went to Alabama and beat the undefeated defending national champion and SEC champion Alabama Crimson Tide.

Freek Being Freek

And they didn’t do it with smoke and mirrors; they spread out Bama’s “NFL ready” defense, went up-tempo and exploited mismatches in the flats and occasionally took their shots down the field. They played solid defense against a not quite overwhelming Alabama offense and were able to put the game away with an interception in the shadow of their own goal line late to preserve the win.

That’s right, “Johnny Football” Manziel, a freshman replacing a quarterback taken in the top ten of the NFL draft and a first year head coach in Kevin Sumlin went to Alabama and shocked the world.

Not so shocking was the reaction that the A&M win brought from SEC shills and hack writers all over the country. Like for example: Did you know that Texas A&M is a national power in college football? Did you know that since they joined the SEC they are now among the nation’s elite battling it out every week in a conference that really should be called “NFL Lite”? It’s true! Ask Paul Finebaum or anyone at ESPN. Even Dan Patrick was in on the nonsense talk on Monday morning during an interview with CBS commentator Gary Danielson. When discussing just “how good” is Texas A&M while looking at the abomination that is their nonconference schedule (you think Ohio State plays cupcakes? Take a look at Texas A&M’s “murder’s row” of a nonconference schedule) all they could come up with as a reason that A&M is a threat on the national level is “well, they play that SEC schedule, so…”

To be clear: I’m not saying the SEC isn’t the best conference in the college football. The teams at the top are pretty darn good. But after seeing Texas A&M win IN Tuscaloosa in their first year in the SEC don’t you have to at least question the alleged depth of the conference? Remember, this is a conference that refuses to travel to play anyone of substance simply based on the claim that “This conference is too tough, you come and play SEC teams every week!” Well here’s the rub, Paww: Texas A&M is nobody. They weren’t that great last year and are working with a new head coach and quarterback breaking in and learning a new system this year. Despite that, they’ve managed to navigate your turbulent SEC schedule losing two tight games (that they actually lead late) to LSU and Florida, had close call wins at Old Miss and Bama while blowing out the balance. This is a team that barely held on to beat Northwestern in a bowl game (in Houston no less) last year while playing in a conference that everyone, especially SEC supporters and fans, says stinks.

You can’t have it both ways. You can’t tell me that teams like Oregon, Oklahoma, Ohio State and USC would be “at best” 9-3 yearly in the SEC when a perennial doormat like Texas A&M can come into the conference and shake its foundation by knocking off its resident big dog in its own back yard and nearly beating the other bully’s on the block. I won’t buy this garbage any longer and neither should you.

Last week we discussed the national title picture and I said I’d like to see Notre Dame get a shot at Alabama. Let me change that: I want the Oregon Ducks more than ever to now get to Miami and Alabama to somehow make it there too. Why do I want to see Oregon against Alabama in the national championship? Because the Ducks will put 50 on them and force everyone to realize the reality that at the top of all the leagues the talent/depth gap is closing and in some cases has surpassed the top of the SEC.

Then again, why dump the Irish? With the way they have played defense to this point, why couldn’t Notre Dame have a better than fighting chance against the SEC champion? With them being as well balanced as they are, maybe even Kansas State too. And what about our Buckeyes? Hey, if Johnny Manziel can put numbers up on the vaunted Bama defense, why couldn’t Braxton Miller?

So I know what some of you are thinking: Dude, it’s one game. Bama got caught looking ahead after beating LSU blah blah blah… Stop it. This is the SEC. This is Alabama. A Big 12 team (because that’s what Texas A&M is, don’t deny it) doesn’t come to Alabama and beat the Tide in the middle of an undefeated season unless they themselves are undefeated national title contenders and even then they’re a long shot at best.

Tipping Point Architect

There is always a tipping point that everyone can look back to and say “that was the day” that something changed. On January 8th, 2007 we hit one such tipping point. For years we had been hearing this noise coming from the south that their conference was so much better and that that the teams up north or out west couldn’t hang with them. And that night they proved it. The perception of football in the Big Ten had been destroyed and is still trying to be rebuilt. If everything is cyclical as some suggest, that what goes around comes around, could we look back to November 10, 2012 as the day the SEC dominance began to crumble?

Admittedly, the only real indicator (since the SEC refuses to schedule anyone) is the results in bowl games. But things are beginning to align themselves together, whether they know it or not, against the SEC. If Urban Meyer is going to win national championships at Ohio State and USC is going to be USC and Notre Dame is going to rise to national relevance and Oregon is going to continue to blow teams doors off with a revolutionary offense and a team like Kansas State can climb the polls and find itself ranked number one with three weeks left in the season not to mention the Michigan’s and Nebraska’s of the world getting better and the always dangerous teams in Norman, Oklahoma and Austin, Texas… Think about it.

Wrap it up

This week begins the final charge to finish 12-0. One at a time, Badgers first. I like the Bucks chances in Camp Randall, but anything can happen. Urban Meyer is again the difference. Until next week, Go Bucks!

Metallica track of the week

We took a trip down memory lane discussing the rivalry with Wisconsin, so let’s take a trip to back to Orion night one 6/23/12 for a classic and an all-time favorite, Fade To Black!

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-down-goes-creed.html/feed1Wednesday Night Rumble: Finally Completehttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-finally-complete.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-finally-complete
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-finally-complete.html#commentsWed, 07 Nov 2012 21:50:38 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=27799The Buckeyes played their most complete game of the season this past Saturday in dispatching Illinois 52-22. A game that shouldn’t have been close wasn’t. A team that has in recent years played to the level of its competition, whether up or down, the Buckeyes showed their mite by putting their foot on the gas […]

]]>The Buckeyes played their most complete game of the season this past Saturday in dispatching Illinois 52-22. A game that shouldn’t have been close wasn’t. A team that has in recent years played to the level of its competition, whether up or down, the Buckeyes showed their mite by putting their foot on the gas early against the Illini and never looking back.

Urban’s attitude

A lot has been said about the Big Ten being weak and the Buckeye schedule being light. I can’t argue much about either of those points. When writing last week’s entry, the thought crossed my mind that this (past) week against Illinois could be the week when it all comes together and the “Urbanization” of the Buckeyes begins to take shape.

For me, the real transformation to this program completely becoming Urban Meyer’s will be when we no longer see games like Purdue or California. The day we see the Buckeyes playing at a high level every week, not just when it’s a rival or a night game against a major name opponent, is the day the transformation is complete. It’s the day that everyone else in the Big Ten realizes that they are either going to work longer and recruit harder or be crushed in Meyer and Ohio State’s wake.

The destruction of Illinois may have been the first sign of this process taking shape. The defense was responsible for 6 points, the offense went up and down the field at will, backups played like they could have won the game if asked from the start, lots of excitement and celebrating on the sidelines, a confident swagger. Good times are ahead, my friends.

POW’s

Fresh Legs

Bri’onte Dunn was named Big Ten Freshman of the week for his performance gaining 73 yards on the ground and scoring a touchdown. More importantly, Ryan Shazier (back sporting his customary number 10) was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive game for his performance against the Fighting Illini. Shazier was an absolute demon making tackles all over the field. The commentators (she who shall remain nameless) even made the comment that it seemed as though Shazier was moving at a different speed than everyone else on the field. Quick answer, Beth: He was. Shazier is (it seemed to start around 6 weeks into the season to be fair) finally picking up where he left off in 2011 and where we all thought he would be coming into this season.

It’s unfortunate Etienne Sabino had his injury set him back, otherwise we could be looking at two of the best linebackers in the Big Ten hitting full stride heading into the two biggest games of the season and their lives. It’ll be interesting to see how Sabino looks when he back on the field, if the injury slows the progress he made prior to being hurt. You have to assume it will affect him, the question is how much?

Buckeye football Quick Hitters

Can anyone argue that this isn’t the best offensive line we have seen in years? These guys are putting helmets on people and making lanes for Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith to tear through the first line of the opposing defense. How much was Jim Bollman really holding back the program? Is that a cheap shot? Maybe, but it is a valid question.

Speaking of Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde, how about getting through that first line of the defense and taking it to the house? We praise these guys a lot, and rightfully so. So, let’s ask them to step it up to another level. You wouldn’t like to see Hyde break off an 80 yarder for 6?

Rod Smith stands up too tall when going through the holes. If he doesn’t correct the issue, he won’t be able to cure his “fumble-itis”. Sit the young man down and show him tape of Eddie George. Smith is listed at 6-3, 228, almost identical to George’s 6-3, 225 in his Heisman year of 1995. I’d suggest having Rod emulate Eddie’s pad level and running style.

The bye week is here. Meyer’s biggest challenge will be to heal up those bumps and bruises but still keep the focus and momentum from the win at Penn State and the blowout against Illinois. The trip to Madison against Wisconsin is somewhat personal for Meyer as we all know he doesn’t think too fondly of Bert Beilema. (More on that next week… hey it’s the bye week, have to sandbag some stuff!) Of course, the finale against TTUN is this season’s (every season’s?) bowl game. He can’t let the perfect season be lost in a bye week. I expect some grueling practices this week to keep everyone sharp.

Sweet Georgia Brown

Hoops are back this week as the Buckeyes look to throw Marquette overboard in Columbia, South Carolina in this years Carrier Classic. I hope you all have read and enjoyed the player and coaching previews done by our staff here at The Buckeye Battle Cry. They are very well done and extremely informative, put together by some cats that worked very hard to get you what you need to know to be ready for this years basketball season! If you missed them, just scroll back and find them, lazy! It’s worth your time!

November is for Contenders

Ladies and gentlemen, the calendar has changed to November, and while Ohio State unfortunately cannot be a part of it, we are seeing this years herd of contenders for the national championship begin to thin out.

It’s hard not to like what you see from Alabama, especially winning dramatically in Baton Rouge over LSU. While they’ve played a weak schedule, they have obliterated everyone in their path to make amends for it, short of said drama in Death Valley this past weekend. If they stay unbeaten and win the SEC there is no doubt they’ll be in Miami playing for the BCS National Championship. Who they’ll face is a lot more of a muddied situation.

Currently, Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame remain unbeaten amongst the teams eligible to play for all the chips. If all three remain unbeaten, it will be difficult (in my opinion) for the BCS to keep the Fighting Irish out of the big show. They bring a huge following and will be television ratings gold. Not to mention they’ll have finished undefeated against a pretty tough schedule with wins over Michigan, Michigan State, BYU, Stanford, giving a thumping to Oklahoma in Norman and (again, if unbeaten) a win out in the Coliseum over USC. The others can make decent cases, but none with a more compelling storyline nationally than the “return to prominence” of Notre Dame. While that’s my opinion, they likely won’t have the points to pass Oregon unless the Ducks lose their championship game to USC, a Trojan team that Notre Dame would have beaten one week prior.

Memo to Kansas State: regardless of where you are in the polls currently, expect the Ducks and Irish to edge you out unless they lose. This computer system picking the title game competitors has a way of taking name recognition into consideration.

The good news is that we likely will not have to suffer through another SEC rematch for the title especially if one of the other unbeaten should fall in a close game. LSU having two losses is out. Forget the ACC, unless everyone loses badly and Florida State convincingly beats Florida and then again convincingly wins their “championship” game in Charlotte.

The problem will arise should KSU lose to Texas and Oregon lose their conference championship game meanwhile Notre Dame stumbles against USC and Georgia somehow pulls off an upset over Alabama in the SEC title game in Atlanta. Should they win out and finish with one loss, we could very well see a one loss Georgia rematch one loss (by Georgia) Alabama. The Florida Gators could find themselves back in national title talks if that hopefully unlikely scenario plays out: Suppose Bama gets ripped by a shocking Georgia performance and the Gators blow out everyone else on their schedule? I still couldn’t really see Florida jumping one of the other one loss teams, but stranger things have happened.

Going back to my previous scenario where KSU-ND-Oregon all finish undefeated, a one loss Notre Dame would be a much more compelling and financially rewarding opponent than any of the others with one loss.

Are you still with me?

Head And Shoulders Above The Rest?

Oregon v Alabama seems to be the game everyone wants to see and it would be great television. The unstoppable force of the Duck offense against the immovable object of the Tide defense will have arguments in sports bars and twitter feeds at high intensity. But, to be honest and just my personal opinion, I’d like to see Notre Dame get a crack at Alabama for all the marbles. If they play out their schedule unbeaten they’ll have good reason to have a quiet confidence that they can beat anyone in the nation, including the feared SEC champion. It’ll certainly make me want to watch the game if for no other reason than to see if Notre Dame’s defense is as good as I think it is. Something to ponder: Don’t you think our Buckeyes could hang with Notre Dame, probably split ten games with them? If Notre Dame can go to Miami and hang around with Alabama and maybe even pull off an upset, it gives us a little bit of a barometer on where the Buckeyes are heading into 2013. And finally, if Bama is going to thump somebody in the title game: why not Notre Dame? Next to TTUN, is there anyone else you enjoy seeing get bashed more than the Domers?

But that Oregon v Bama game would be pretty sweet…

Wrap it up

The Buckeyes are in a good spot having a break to prep for Wisconsin and TTUN. An argument can be made that this bye comes at a bad time as the Bucks seem to be hitting their stride and going on all cylinders. I somewhat agree and can certainly see that point, but I trust Urban Meyer to not let them slip and keep them focused on the undefeated goal. Get yourself ready for two wars, it’s going to be a fun November! Until next week, Go Bucks!

Metallica track of the week

Let’s go back to 2009’s Mexico City dvd for one of my all-time favorite tracks, an absolute crusher that at the :52 mark can chop wood, get ready for Disposable Heroes-

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-finally-complete.html/feed0Wednesday Night Rumble: Under Pressurehttp://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-under-pressure.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-under-pressure
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-under-pressure.html#commentsWed, 24 Oct 2012 18:23:07 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=27379Teams that give up a 100+ yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a safety, give up a huge momentum shifting opening play of the game touchdown and commit four turnovers don’t often win said game. Along with a much better defensive showing, Kenny Guiton’s faith under fire lead what for almost fifty eight minutes was […]

Teams that give up a 100+ yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a safety, give up a huge momentum shifting opening play of the game touchdown and commit four turnovers don’t often win said game. Along with a much better defensive showing, Kenny Guiton’s faith under fire lead what for almost fifty eight minutes was an abysmal performance to a miraculous overtime win in Ohio Stadium to keep the Buckeyes perfect at 8-0. No matter what happens in the remainder of his time at The Ohio State University, Kenny Guiton will always be remembered as the hero of the 29-22 thriller over Purdue in 2012. And it’s well deserved!

The “Smooth Jazz” of Kenny G.

I think it goes without saying that everyone’s heart skipped a beat or two when Braxton Miller went down in the third quarter Saturday just when it seemed the Buckeyes were poised to break out of the offensive funk that had been holding them back all afternoon. Fortunately “coach” (as Urban Meyer’s staff often refers to him) Kenny Guiton was prepared to step up to the plate and shine in his opportunity. He didn’t exactly look pretty, especially the ground shot that Chris Fields had to dig off the turf or the lazy blooper for the two-point conversion to Jeff Heuerman to tie it in the waning seconds of regulation, but after ten years of Tressel-ball we should be pretty accustomed to ugly wins. Guiton’s steady appearance, knowledge of the offense and the faith the staff and his teammates have in him were the steady hand needed to wage an epic comeback and get a win over Purdue, who may have been playing their best defensive game of the season.

The famous question: What happens when preparation meets opportunity? Kenny Guiton showed you on Saturday.

How bad was it?

One of the questions I kept asking myself after the game was just how bad were things this past weekend against what seemed to be a lowly Purdue team on the back end of its season having reached its proverbial peek? Some aspects of it were down right disgusting. Other parts of it left me feeling pretty good about where they’re headed.

Not Good

Special teams were up and down. You had the crucial blocked field goal to keep the game within reach, but you also had the nearly untouched 100 yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Despite replays showing plenty of holding (the one on Noah Spence is grossly blatant) good teams can’t let that happen.

Carlos Hyde continues to make the most of his opportunities when he gets them. I thought the game plan in the second half was going to be more of a direct attack with 34 toting the pill. Meyer seems reluctant to make a solid commitment to Hyde early in games as well. I’m still not sure why “feed Carlos” isn’t more of a higher percentage of the attack. You have to wonder if Braxton Miller’s injury Saturday will now force Meyer’s hand a bit to give Hyde more carries early.

I don’t understand why this team can’t stop a bubble screen. I also don’t understand the complete unwillingness to blitz. When the game was on the line, they brought pressure and Purdue quarterback Caleb Terbush was flustered and made bad throws. Where was this earlier in the game?

It made me feel good seeing Gution come in and lead them to the win when everything was stacked against them. We’ve seen Kenny come in in spots to spell a dinged up Miller, but never in a spot like this and with Miller clearly not returning. If needed this week at Penn State or later in the stretch run, Guiton has this win under his built to fall back on and remove the doubt of “if” he can get the job done. At least now we know.

Battling the Nits

By now everyone is acutely aware of the scandal that went on at Pennsylvania State University. The sanctions to the football program were handed down hard and Jerry Sandusky has received his sentencing. Forever changed, it’s back to football at Penn State.

This weekend brings two teams together with no chance of a bowl game or even playing for the Big Ten championship despite to this point appearing to be the two best teams in the league. They arrive at this matchup coming from very different directions. One team is limping its way through its schedule, trying to remain unbeaten. The other team started slow, dropping its first two games to Ohio University and Virginia, but is now catching fire and is coming off a steamrolling win at Iowa.

Moxie? Guts.

We can break down game film and look at tendencies to try and find out where this game can be won or lost, but it’s really pretty simple: Nittany Lion quarterback Matt McGloin (Captain Moxie) is playing the best football of his life under the tutelage of Bill O’Brien and the PSU defensive front seven is as stout as it has always been.

So what will it take for Ohio State to win it? It’s also pretty simple: Be physical. Take the fight to Penn State and bring it for 60 minutes.

Up front dominance and a little “ground and pound”

Corey Linsley, Jack Mewhort, Reid Fragel, Marcus Hall and Andrew Norwell, this one is on you guys. Can they move the PSU front four at the point of attack. Can they wear them down as the game gets later and later into the evening? If we see an old school Buckeye offensive line effort, it’ll be a massive key to getting this one done this week.

Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith, this one is on you guys too. In no way can they allow one man to bring them down. These guys have to average four yards or better for the night and have a lot of carries. The will has to be there to want to put this game on their shoulders and carry it to victory. As much as we love what we have seen from Hyde and in spots from Smith, this Saturday we see what these guys are truly made of.

Planning and pressure

While Penn State will align in traditional sets and runs a more conventional offense, they do it in a relatively fast pace and typically with no huddle. It’s time to man up and cut out the zone defense. Ohio State has better athletes at corner and safety than PSU has at wide receiver and running back. Make them beat them one-on-one.

I’m not naïve enough to think that Matt McGloin isn’t an improved player or is somehow just hype since they’ve won five in a row. He legitimately may be the best “traditional” quarterback in the Big Ten. But I have to think that somewhere inside that tendency to make an error in a pressure spot is still there. As big as this game is for Penn State and Ohio State, it’s even bigger for Matt McGloin because it’s his chance to really silence his critics in State College for good. I need to see silver bullets flying around everywhere on Saturday night. And I need to see them coming from all different locations. Bring the heat. Get him off balance. Force him into bad spots. Put him on the ground. That’s the recipe for shutting down Penn State’s offense. To kill the snake, cut off the head.

B1G Coach Of The Year?

Saturday night’s game is one of those “difference” games. What I mean is, what will be the difference? Will it be a turnover or a special teams play? Maybe it will be one team’s line dominating that makes the difference. One thing we should be able to count on is our team being better prepared and having a better game plan. Urban Meyer can be the difference.

This is the week that Urban Meyer and his staff earn their money. They need to outcoach Bill O’Brien, something O’Brien himself has been doing to opponents on a weekly basis. I’m not taking anything away from O’Brien’s ability or what he has accomplished thus far this season, but he had better have no answer for Ohio State’s defensive schemes and offensive attack and the adjustments being made to them as the game progresses. Urban and company need to be one step ahead of O’Brien all night long like Lionel Richie.

The bottom line:

We all know what this game means to Ohio State. They’ve worked so hard this offseason learning a new system with new staff and players and ten months later we’re seeing the fruits of their labor unfold into an 8-0 start to the season. I can only imagine how badly they want to be 9-0 and eventually finish this campaign unblemished to prove the critics and the doubters wrong and to feel the vindication inside them that can only come from winning. How badly do they want to feel that sense of accomplishment that no matter what limitations are thrown your way, you overcame it all and rose above the fray to achieve the maximum result allowed. That you pushed it to its limit and that you rode it till the wheels fell off. Certainly they want to make a statement to the college football world and justify to themselves that all the hard work, late hours and buckets of sweat mattered and ultimately paid off.

Well, this game matters a lot to us too. Not as much as the battle on November 24th will matter (we’ll have more on that in the week leading up to it) but this one hits a nerve with us more so than any of the others on the schedule. It’s about them for years saying how we “cheat” and taking a moral high ground trying to make us feel inferior and as though our teams success has in some way been tainted. It’s about two historically great football programs butting heads over which one shines brighter in the pantheon of college football greats. It’s about who’s the real “Linebacker U” and arguments over imaginary games between the 1994 Lions against the 2002 Buckeyes.

And so here we are, heading over to Beaver Stadium for an evening affair in what is being hyped in State College as the biggest home game since the 2005 OSU-PSU game. Students have been camping outside the stadium since Monday in hopes of getting a spot in the bleachers for what is undoubtedly Penn State’s version of the Super Bowl. Except for Luke Fickell and Adam Griffin, there is not a single soul involved in any way with the program that was there that night. A brief memory jog, Ohio State lost that game in 2005, 17-10 in an absolute war that came down to the final seconds before Tamba Hali sacked Troy Smith ending the Buckeyes chance at a game winning drive. It’s considered by PSU blog sites as “The best weekend and game of the Big Ten era in Penn State history.” (www.blackshoediaries.com) It’s a night that still eats at Ohio State fans for many reasons other than the final score.

Ohio State cannot take any chances or do anything to compromise the undefeated dream. They must pull out all the stops and do everything possible to be sure 2005 is not repeated. They have to be relentless in their desire to remain perfect and play with passion and Buckeye pride. My old high school coach used to say “Make your luck”. Do that and Ohio State will come home 9-0.

Wrap it up

We should be treated to a great game and an all-out battle on Saturday night. A battle that I feel confident our guys can win. Ohio State has much more speed and better athletes across the board. They also have one of the best coaches in the country on their sideline. Buckle up, it should be fun! Until next week, Go Bucks!

Metallica track of the week

As if the hype for Saturday doesn’t do a good enough job on its own, we go back to 1988’s …And Justice For All for an absolute adrenaline pumper for our MTOTW. Let’s go to back to Sofia, Bulgaria and The Big 4 dvd for this crushing video of “Blackened”!

]]>http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/college-football/ohio-state-football/wednesday-night-rumble-under-pressure.html/feed0Wednesday Night Rumble: Undefeated?http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/miscellaneous/wednesday-night-rumble-undefeated.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-night-rumble-undefeated
http://thebuckeyebattlecry.com/admin/miscellaneous/wednesday-night-rumble-undefeated.html#commentsWed, 17 Oct 2012 20:08:48 +0000http://www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com/?p=2720952-49, the final score on Saturday night in Bloomington, left a lot of people outraged. The game should never have ended that close or ever been that close to begin with. However, due to a set of circumstances that left a lot of people scratching their heads, it happened and we have to move on […]

]]>52-49, the final score on Saturday night in Bloomington, left a lot of people outraged. The game should never have ended that close or ever been that close to begin with. However, due to a set of circumstances that left a lot of people scratching their heads, it happened and we have to move on from it. Let’s start now and officially put Indiana to rest.

On the Run

Dark Day 3?

Was Saturday night going to end up being labeled “Dark Day 3″? Almost. While there is a ton of finger pointing to go around (officiating being one that deserves a review from some board of something, somewhere) the majority of fingers are pointing firmly at Luke Fickell and his Silver Bullet defense that was shredded for 481yards of total offense by the Hoosiers.

To his credit, Fickell has taken the criticism and spoken openly about the problem. The fact that he is admitting there is a problem is a huge step in the right direction to correcting the mess we watched on Saturday night. But how bad was it schematically that we should level all the blame on Fickell? Luke can’t make any tackles, he can’t take better pursuit angles, he can’t get guys off blockers and he certainly can’t use his shoulders to tackle instead of reaching for ankles or thighs. I’ve made this argument before and after watching what unfolded this past weekend it has to be repeated: Luke seems to have guys in the right spots, they just don’t make the play.

There is this myth going around that Ohio State is playing too much zone defense and therefore allowing these spread offenses to have free run and thus putting poor fundamental tackling players in positions to have to make plays they are not capable of making. It all sounds good except for one thing: They’re not running Luke Fickell’s (or Ohio State through time, in general for that matter) standard 4-3, they’re running Urban Meyer’s variations of it. Those variations appear to demand a type of player on defense that Ohio State, for the most part and certainly excluding the defensive line, does not have on campus yet. It’s what started getting the SEC ball rolling in the early 2000’s: defensive ends that can run like linebackers, linebackers that run like safeties and safeties that run like corners but hit like linebackers.

I’d also like clarification on what exactly the coverage calls are. I know we won’t get it from the staff and we shouldn’t, but if it’s true that they are (I’m not explaining this, so you may want to skip to the next bold headline) in a cover 4 base, then it’s the “one on one” matchups everyone is clamoring for that is actually the problem. My point is: This is Urban Meyer’s defense. It’s going to take time for Luke Fickell to learn to call it and recruiting the players to be on the field to execute it.

For my money, the real reason for concern is that they didn’t step on Indiana’s throats defensively when they had them down. Remember, they were given an 18 point lead and clearly went lax and gave IU the opportunity to get back in the game. This cannot happen against bad teams (see Indiana or even California) let alone some of the better teams on the schedule still remaining (see Wisconsin and Michigan). Against Nebraska, the hammer fell. They were up big and the defense attacked like sharks with blood in the water. What made the lead at Indiana so different? Oh, that’s right, it’s only Indiana. That line of thinking left the Buckeyes fortunate to escape.

Got Your Back

Guapo

Another week has passed and there’s yet another outstanding performance from Carlos Hyde. I think he’s proven his worth to the offense and made it a near impossibility to replace him even when Jordan Hall comes back from injury.

Rod Smith continues to be impressive as well. And I love his power on kick returns. Three returns for 85 yards is a 28.3 yard average. You’ll take that every time if you can get it especially considering that most returned kicks don’t come out of the endzone. As the Big Ten Network commentators accurately replayed and showed, Smith has a great one-step-and-burst motion that we see in highly successful backs. Let’s see a lot more of Rod Smith.

So where does this leave the previously mentioned Jordan Hall? When he returns it only makes the offense that much more of a potent weapon. How does he fit and get his touches? I’d expect to see Hall featured in the short passing game. I’d also expect to see him helping out Corey Brown with the bubble screens and option sweeps.

Hall, Hyde and Smith behind Miller: Is it a stretch to see a 400 yard game on the ground?

Undefeated? Why Not?

After the Homecoming win against Nebraska the local and even the national media began discussing Ohio State’s potential to run the table and finish 12-0. Regardless of the Big Ten having a down season, with what this team endured last season to finish this year unbeaten would be nothing short of remarkable. But, can it happen? I say it can. Let’s go game by game with the remaining schedule and look at how and why.

Purdue: Word from Urban Meyer is that he is personally taking a more hands on approach with the defense. From what we have seen from Urban Meyer and know about his past, what do you think the odds are that they have anything close to a repeat performance defensively from Indiana to this week against Purdue? Look for a solid defensive effort, improved tackling and an offensive onslaught that lead to a big win. Forget what you heard about Purdue having an offense that gives Ohio State problems. Not this week after what these players will have to endure from the staff after the Indiana near embarrassment.

Moxie Alert

At Penn State: If you’re traveling to this game make sure and bring riot gear. I tweeted about it earlier in the week; Happy Valley will be a war zone as drunken PSU students prepare for their “Super Bowl” and a chance to show the world that Nittany Lion football hasn’t and won’t fall off. PSU home night games are easily the best kept secret in the NCAA with their absolutely repulsive behavior. Anyone who was there in 2005 for the first “White Out” can tell you stories of buses being shaken, elderly women having students scream, literally, directly into their faces about dying, students challenging said elderly women’s husband’s to then fight. You’ll hear about everything from beer cans to pop bottles and everything in between being thrown at Ohio State fans, even urine and blood balloons thrown at The Best Damn Band In The Land… And all of this was before they found out that their messiah was a fraud and the school was sanctioned with a four year bowl ban and copious amounts of scholarships lost. Beaver Stadium and the parking lots surrounding it will be a complete mess and nowhere anyone wearing scarlet and grey will want to be. Luckily inside the stadium, and more accurately on the field, things will be a mess but a mess for the Lions and their football program. PSU’s offense plays right to the strengths of Ohio State’s defense (namely it doesn’t run a spread) and their defense has nowhere near the athletes needed to stop the Buckeye attack. Throw in the team rallying together and focusing while in a hostile environment and, fingers crossed, things could get ugly on the scoreboard.

Illinois: Has anyone seen anything from Illinois to make you think they can come into Ohio Stadium and pull off a win? The team will be reminded of the Indiana debacle for another week to keep focus.

This leads Ohio State, in my estimation, heading into the bye week at 10-0 with their two biggest games still on the schedule. A week to heel bumps and bruises is just what will be needed to finish strong.

At Wisconsin: A week ago I’d have said the Buckeyes win this in a laugher. After seeing Wisconsin in some ways right their ship recently, notably coming alive at Purdue last weekend, mix in the performance of the scarlet and grey in Bloomington, I’d have to now say this looks like it could be anybody’s ballgame. When games are tough to call, most times they come down to a big play or the guy wearing the headset on the sideline. In both cases, I like Ohio State to be the team to prevail. Braxton Miller is always a spin or stutter step from a huge play and it doesn’t take rocket science to realize Urban Meyer can outcoach Burt (yes, I know its Brett, but I call him Burt ever since he went off on an interviewer for making the mistake) Bielema any day of the week. Even in the worst case scenario, advantage: Buckeyes.

Targeted

Michigan: Call me what you want, say I’m stupid, I don’t care. I expect nothing short of a 17-21 point win over TTUN on November 24th. This isn’t just about winning The Game and beating your rival, this is about payback. This is about righting a wrong. This is about sending seniors who won’t finish with a bowl game out on the right note. This is that bowl game. This is about restoring order and pride. This is about welcoming Brady Hoke to “Ohio” and making sure he’s aware that while he was gone from Michigan all those years a few things have changed. This is about taking Denard Robinson’s porridge bowl and shoving it down his throat.

If they come into The Game 11-0, they’ll finish 12-0.

Quick Hitters

Can they stop being so slow at times in the backfield? These plays where Braxton holds the ball and kind of shuffles sideways attached to Carlos Hyde and then decides whether to pull out the ball and run or hand it to Hyde work well against some defenses, mostly slow ones. But even Indiana was too fast for that type of attack. When you’re crushing people up front, get the ball into the hands of the guy you want to tote it and send him sprinting up field. They were absolutely gashing Indiana’s defense with quick hit runs both outside and inside. Stick with what is working.

We had a Jake Stoneburner sighting this weekend! While four catches for 41 yards isn’t a huge night, it was still nice to see Stoneburner involved. I still feel like he can be our most dangerous weapon in the passing game with his speed and ability to stretch the middle of the field with linebackers on him in coverage.

Nathan Williams will be back in the lineup against Purdue this week.

Zack Boren is listed as a co-starter this week… at middle linebacker. Word came down last Friday night that the senior fullback might see some significant time against the Hoosiers at linebacker. Not only did he play linebacker, he played it well and led the team in tackles with 8.

It’s a noon kickoff at The Shoe on Saturday and that typically means a sleepy crowd. It needs to be raucous and loud. Ohio Stadium needs to be a home field advantage against all opponents, not just ones they play at night or that have popular names and high rankings.

Wrap It Up

Don’t get too hung up on the defensive woes at Indiana. Remember: It’s a brand new scheme for players as well as the coaches. Don’t be so quick to want to lynch a guy like Luke Fickell who has bled for this university and its fans. Luke is the guy who played the ‘97 Rose Bowl with a torn pectoral muscle. He’ll figure it out and so will the guys on the field, especially once some of the guys on the field are replaced with guys more suited to run the system Meyer wants to use. Until next week, Go Bucks!

Metallica Track of the Week

Some feel like the Buckeyes snuck out of Bloomington with a win. So, for our track of the week what is more fitting than a song called Escape? We go back to the Orion Music and More festival, night one, June 23rd 2012 in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the world premier (yes, first time EVER this song was played before a live audience) of the song that was never meant to be played live, Ride The Lightning’s Escape!